Nigerian court orders deregistration of ADC and four other parties

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties for allegedly failing to meet constitutional requirements for registration. Justice Peter Lifu issued the judgment on Monday, citing breaches of Section 225 of the Nigerian constitution.

This section empowers INEC to deregister political parties that have not won any elective positions in federal, state, or local government elections. The court's decision is expected to lead to a wave of disqualifications for candidates vying for office in the 2027 general elections and the upcoming off-cycle governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states.

The lawsuit was filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators against INEC, the Attorney-General of the Federation, and the affected parties: Accord, Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP). The plaintiffs argued that these parties no longer met the constitutional threshold for continued existence and urged the court to compel INEC to remove them from its register and bar them from future elections.

The Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, supported the suit and its prayers. The judgment carries significant implications for the upcoming general elections, scheduled in about seven to eight months, and the governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun. If enforced immediately, it could lead to the automatic disqualification of candidates from these parties, dramatically reshaping the political landscape.

Notable candidates potentially affected include Atiku Abubakar, the recent presidential candidate for ADC, and Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, who is seeking a second term on the Accord platform. The ruling underscores the strict constitutional requirements for political party registration and participation in Nigeria's electoral process.